Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Alexandria

For one person, living is cheaper in Alexandria: $452 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Alexandria
🇪🇬 Egypt
$452
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Alexandria

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Alexandria actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,548 per month in Mexico City vs $452 in Alexandria, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,548
  • Alexandria $452

A couple spends around $2,436 per month in Mexico City vs $750 in Alexandria, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,436
  • Alexandria $750

A family of three spends $3,323 per month in Mexico City vs $1,048 in Alexandria, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,323
  • Alexandria $1,048

Mexico City costs about 242% more than Alexandria, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 14% above the global median, while Alexandria is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Alexandria
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 MX$204
$4.22 E£225
161.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 MX$900
$18.66 E£996
160.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 MX$201
$4.74 E£253
129.96%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.1
$1.26 E£67.3
192.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.18
$0.30 E£15.96
443.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MX$23.07
$0.12 E£6.31
941.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$60.1
$1.33 E£70.9
144.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 MX$102
$2.74 E£146
101.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Alexandria
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.50
$0.84 E£44.97
102.38%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$0.71 E£37.73
325.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.53
$0.58 E£30.74
231.03%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$50.5
$1.10 E£59.0
148.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 MX$218
$3.66 E£195
221.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 MX$176
$4.19 E£224
127.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 MX$266
$9.17 E£490
57.14%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$1.46 E£77.7
106.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.01
$0.78 E£41.63
142.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.70
$0.51 E£27.48
290.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.38
$0.34 E£18.27
544.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.43
$0.24 E£12.77
700.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.49
$0.30 E£15.98
523.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.62
$0.27 E£14.47
433.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.39
$0.22 E£11.93
477.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 MX$96.4
$1.86 E£99.6
180.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.17 MX$299
$5.62 E£300
187.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 MX$35.03
$1.16 E£61.9
63.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 MX$78.0
$2.15 E£115
96.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Alexandria
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.30
$0.22 E£11.66
54.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.65 MX$363
$10.95 E£585
79.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$36.90
$0.57 E£30.48
250.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 MX$9.67
$0.49 E£26.19
6.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 MX$98.7
$1.11 E£59.1
381.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.13
$0.45 E£24.16
237.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K MX$408.0K
$32.8K E£1.8M
-32.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$452.9K
$25.2K E£1.3M
-2.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Alexandria
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,129
$14.02 E£749
335.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.58 MX$528
$6.60 E£353
333.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.47 MX$637
$12.75 E£681
170.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Alexandria
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,042
$12.39 E£662
354.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.88 MX$460
$7.31 E£390
240.36%
Cinema Ticket
$6.66 MX$123
$2.73 E£146
143.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Alexandria
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,891
$85.2 E£4,549
401.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$215.0K
$2,035 E£108.6K
471.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Alexandria
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 MX$1,253
$32.61 E£1,741
107.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.0 MX$960
$45.28 E£2,418
14.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 MX$1,959
$125 E£6,687
-15.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MX$2,080
$54.9 E£2,933
104.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Alexandria
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 MX$18.9K
$131 E£7,020
679.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 MX$12.1K
$69.3 E£3,702
843.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 MX$42.7K
$279 E£14.9K
727.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 MX$22.9K
$142 E£7,603
772.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,613 MX$66.8K
$679 E£36.2K
432.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,936 MX$35.8K
$431 E£23.0K
349.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Alexandria
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$964 MX$17.8K
$137 E£7,313
603.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
21.33
-47.02%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$654
Alexandria
$69 89.4% $585
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$318
Alexandria
$124 61.1% $194
Eating Out
Mexico City
$204
Alexandria
$77 62.3% $127
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$152
Alexandria
$116 23.7% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$124
Alexandria
$33 73.1% $91
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Alexandria
$18 74.4% $52
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Alexandria
$15 42.1% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,025 in Mexico City versus $131 in Alexandria. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 604% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Mexico City versus $19.00 in Alexandria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $124 – making Alexandria the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇪🇬 Alexandria
🕒 Local time
06:36 6:36 AM
15:36 3:36 PM
9 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
4,546,231
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.03 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Alexandria 12,190 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Alexandria

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Mexico City vs Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mexico City or Alexandria?
Mexico City costs about 242% more than Alexandria, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mexico City and in Alexandria?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,322 per month in Mexico City and $678 in Alexandria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Mexico City or Alexandria?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Alexandria, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Mexico City and in Alexandria?
Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Mexico City and $85.2 in Alexandria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Mexico City or in Alexandria?
Groceries cost about 157% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Mexico City or in Alexandria?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alexandria, where all-in costs run around $452, than in Mexico City at $1,548. In Alexandria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mexico City or Alexandria?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alexandria costs $452 versus $1,548 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Mexico City or to Alexandria?
If budget matters most, go with Alexandria. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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